By Chidi Ugwu
The Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, has underscored the strategic importance of Federal Colleges of Agriculture (FCAs) in strengthening Nigeria’s food security through innovation, research, and training.
Speaking during his familiarization visit to the Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Dr. Dabban said the visit provided him an opportunity to appreciate the achievements of the Colleges, understand their challenges, and reinforce collaboration towards advancing ARCN’s mandate. He praised the leadership and staff for their resilience and commitment in spite of sectoral constraints, pledging the Council’s continued support to ensure greater national impact.
Khadijat Oluwatoyin Ameen, Head, Public Relations, in a statement, noted that Dr. Dabban stressed that Nigeria’s agricultural transformation rests on the vibrancy of institutions under the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), especially in the face of the Renewed Hope Agenda and the declared state of emergency on food security.
He tasked the Colleges to scale up manpower training, vocational skill acquisition, and dissemination of research technologies that can fast-track innovation, boost productivity, and expand agricultural GDP while positioning the country to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The Executive Secretary further highlighted ongoing reforms, including the review of the Conditions and Schemes of Service for both National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) and FCAs, in collaboration with the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
He disclosed that ARCN was strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems, updating management guidelines for the institutions, and engaging the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to extend its interventions to the agricultural sub-sector. These steps, he said, were necessary to improve staff welfare, enhance institutional performance, and modernize infrastructure across the Colleges.
He also directed the Colleges to ensure timely submission of annual budgets, quarterly and annual reports, updated nominal rolls, and records of research technologies developed. Stressing the need for improved laboratories, workshops, and infrastructure that meet global standards, Dr. Dabban urged the Colleges to cooperate fully with ARCN officials on assignment.
In closing, he called for sustained innovation, collaboration, and excellence across all agricultural institutions, reiterating that research and training remain central to Nigeria’s economic growth and food security.
Welcoming the ARCN leadership, the Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation, Prof. Jonathan J. Atungwu, described the visit as a milestone in the long history of the College, founded in 1921 as one of West Africa’s premier agricultural institutions.
He expressed optimism that the visit would open avenues for stronger collaboration in research, academic training, and community outreach initiatives. Prof. Atungwu commended the ARCN for championing access to TETFUND, which he noted has continued to strengthen institutional capacity.
The Executive Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, Prof. Gabriel Oluwatosin, outlined the Institute’s mandate in soil science, grains, legumes, and value addition.
He noted that IAR&T currently houses three Colleges, highlighting the strong inter-institutional cooperation that supports agricultural research and transformation nationwide.
Also speaking, Dr. Chidi Okpeze, Acting Provost of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Ibadan, praised the Executive Secretary for the visit and expressed confidence that it would open new opportunities for institutional growth and partnerships.
The visit featured an interactive session with staff and students, as well as a guided tour of the College’s facilities. It was attended by provosts of affiliated Colleges, directors of research institutes under ARCN, and other key stakeholders in agricultural education and research.
